New hospital chief touts big plans
ALL |
VAIL ” In a world spinning at 45 rpm, new Vail hospital administrator Greg Repetti appears to have enough enthusiasm and energy to maintain 78.
On the job just a month, he’s already met building engineers, doctors, nurses, cooks, custodians, admissions officers and community leaders.
Curiously it’s not just his new administrative duties he thinks will be the most immediate challenge. “It will be assimilating my way in the culture of the valley,” he said. “I’m working to build relationships.”
Those relationships are the key to everything, he said.
“You get things done through people, and you’re only as good as what you do,” he said. “I’m a what-you-see-is-what-you-get kind of person. I may not always agree with you but I’ll respect your opinion.”
Support Local Journalism
He has a relationship with this area. Fifteen years ago he met his future wife and later married her here.
There are some big plans ahead for the 49-bed Vail Valley Medical Center. Repetti, 47, came here from the 297-bed Silver Cross Hospital about 25 miles south of Chicago.
The Vail Valley Medical Center is opening a new urgent care facility in Eagle in partnership with Valley View Hospital of Glenwood Springs.
“Vail Pass can be a daunting thing when it comes to health care,” he said.
The Vail hospital wants to expand the scope of medical services, Repetti said.
“We have world-class orthopedic services, and people fly here from all over the world,” he said, adding that the orthopedics generates two-thirds of the hospital’s $100 million in annual revenues.
In addition to expanding the medical services, such as oncology and other specialties, Repetti said he wants to improve the quality of services offered, too. Last year 650 babies were born at the hospital and Repetti said he expects the maternity to continue to grow.
“We need to make sure we’re the place people come for health care,” he said.
The one thing that helped Repetti decide to take the Vail job was an intangible. “It was the involvement and the passion of the hospital board,” he said, adding that he tends to stay at a job. This is his third hospital job in 22 years, he said.
Repetti and his wife have a daughter, 5, and son, 7. Both will be attending St. Clare of Assisi in Edwards in the fall.
Repetti is the Vail hospital’s third chief executive in three years. He succeeds Tom Zellers, who had replaced Cliff Eldredge only a year earlier.
Staff Writer Cliff Thompson can be reached at 949-0555, ext. 450, or cthompson@vaildaily.com.
Vail, Colo.